henderson



s 1 Er. Y l i e 7 N 6 .m wlm l ya N1m T S u IM A o t m vm e e ,u Dm, .M m ./.L/ *ab m S 3 nu M n N n w m JY L 9 U n w m N N M R F .y Y E s n 6 N n d \\\\\N\.\\\ N N NN E n 1.. H. 5 H. n n H B L,1h 7 l J. m .m O9 m 2 .a m N w n e a E n c 0 u 4 u a m hl .4 N 7 4r n.. H L n\ 3 T H c n n fdl; nu. e n 1 c n ,24 4 2 s e 6 n af ,P .L n F Re', 16,171 IJ. B. HENDERSON l A FIRE coN'r'RoL APPARATUS Fon NAVAL Guns sept, zz, 1925.

or'ignm Find .my 26. 1919 :s sheets-sheet 2 TTORNEYS. l

. Re. 16,171 IJ. B. HENDERSON FIRE cou'rRoL APYARATUSFQR NAVAL GUNS m 1.. Y 2, 2 t D. n

5 t e e h S S .t 8 e h S 3 onzin F11-a .my 2s. 191,9

lF79. l5.

Reissued Sept. 212,

UNI/TED; ls'rA'rllezis P .krlzNTv OFFICE.

. "l JAMES nLAcxrQocx HENDEasoN, or BLAoxHEArH, ENGLAND.

FIRE-CONTROL APPARATUS ron NAVAL GUNS.

1922. Application forv reissue Iiled November 14, 1924. Serial No. 750,005.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, Sir JAMES BLAoKLodK HENDERSON, a `subject of the King of Great Britain, y residing at Blackheath, in the county of Kent, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Fire-Control Apparatus for Naval Guns,f of which the following is a specification.

In director firing all the guns on board ship are fired simultaneously, approximately as the deck passes throughthe horizontal l plane during the rolling or pitching motion of the ship. According to my invention lI provide electrical contacts which will automatically close the firing circuit asthe deck passes through a definite inclination to the horizontal plane, and optical means of con` trolling the position of the electrical contacts relatively to the horizontal plane. I provide also similar contacts and`similar control relative tothe azimuthal bearing of the target in relation to the ship.

To carry out my invention I mount a body having considerable inertia, on gimbals on a pedestal 0n the deck of the ship.4 Thisbody is mounted preferably in neutral equif lihrium on the gimbals and in order to get.

the equivalentof very large inertia in small compass, I preferably employ a gyroscope.

n, In the following description I shall therefore refer to the gyroscope as the body supported in neutral equilibrium on gimbals. The girnbal axes are preferably horizontal and vertical and the rotor axis, in its normal position is perpendicular to both. The gyroscope is enclosed ina box or casing and in order to distinguish it from the rot-0r casing or stator of theelectric motor driving the rotor, I shall refer to the. box as the outer casing and to the other as the rotor casing. The outer casingvis mounted on the pedestal and is provided with a hand training gear relatively to the pedestal. The gimbal ring is suspended say on a horizontal trunnion axis on the outer casing and the rotor casing is suspended on a vertical trunnion axis in the glmbal ring.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention Figs. l and 2 show respectively an elevation and a plan of one arrangement ofthe parts of the director sight.I I

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show aside elevation, a

plan and a front elevation of an .alternative arrangement which embodies a .method of optical compensation for the tilting of the gyro axis. I

Fig '6 shows a plan of an alternative arrangement of fixing the reflectors.v

Figs. 7 S, 9, and 10 show respectively a side elevation, a back elevation with the gyro removed, a sectional plan and a front elevation of the telescope of an arrangement which permits the observer to face the target and Which has optical compensation for the tilting of the gyro axis.

Fig. 11 shows a diagram of connections.

Figs V12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 show various arrangements of optical systems which I may employ.

The gyro-rotor casing 1 is suspended onl a original No. 1,464,608, dated Augen 14', 192s,A serial Ne. 313,533, med my 2s, 1919. Renewed December 19,

instrument. I preferably arrange the gyro to be in neutral equilibrium on the trunnion axis 2 but may give a small gravitational stability to the combination of gyro 1 and gimbal ring 3 about the trunnionv axis 4.

The outer casing 5 may be supported on any suitable mounting on the standard. director sight but for purposes of illustration it is shown mounted on a vertical axis on the pedestal 6 with a Worm 7 gearingin a Worm Wheel 8 for training the casing in azimuth. The rotpr casing 1 carries the two reflectors 9 and 10, theplanes of reflection of Which are at right angles, are normally vertical andlintersect in the axis of the trunnion 2i.

the outer case 5 .move with the ship. Thev image of the target in the focal p lane remains'steadyand in the same relativel position to the cross Wires in spite of the rolling of the ship. The explanation of the -steadiness of the image is that When` the objective 11 rises and falls the image of the target formed bythe objective on the focal plane rises and falls an equal'amount, but the cross wires on theffocal plane also 4rise and `fall bythe same amont as `the objective since they and the ob'ective are equidistant from the axis 4. ence angplar motion 4about axis4 does not affect the position'of the image on the cross wires.

Any angular. motion of the casing 5 about the rotor axis in its central position causes the objective to'rise and the eyepiece toiall (or vice versa) by equal amounts -but it simultaneously inclines the line of intersection of the two mirrors 9 and 10 and the result is that the image of the target remains on the cross wire but becomes slightly .inclined to the vertical. Any straying motion of the gyro about the vertical trunnion does not laffect the position of the image on the cross wire but straying motion about the horizontal trunnion ralses or lowers the4 image of the target on the cross wire. The gravitational stability about the horizontal rtrunnion axis 4 is'intended to prevent the straying from' exceeding a small value. When the gyro stra s about the vertical trunnion axis 2 itcan e brought back to the central position by means of a torque applied to the end of the trunnion axis 4 which projects,

through the case' 5 and' may be furnished with a'friction head 4 for that purpose. When it strays about the horizontal axis it can bebrought back by means of impacts imparted to the rotor casing by turnin the four pronged sprocket 13 by means o the knob 15, causing the spokes of the` sprocket to enga e with the light sprin 14 which is attache tothe rotor casing. T ese impulses may be applied to therotor casing by any mother suitable means, electrical or mechanical. The switch for closing the firing circult consists. of la lever I6 which turns on a fulcrum 17 attached to the casing -5 the lever being actuated by a pin 18 attached to`the gimbalring 3 engagin' with a slot -switch 16 and if the ltwo-way switc .is

thrown over to pass the current to contact 19, then, if the firing ke beginning of the up rol the firing circuit is not closed until the lever 16 moves from the switch plate 20 on to the plate 19.

If the rotor'axis deviates in azimuth from the central position the image of the tar et moves up a'nddown by a small amount re atively to the cross Wire with each roll and if the greatest accuracy of shooting is aimed be closed at the J the objective 11 and eyepiece 12- on a plate which is pivoted on a pin 22 on the outer casing 5. The same compensation applies 'to any tilting of the gyro axis about the trunf nion 4 and obviates the necessity of introducing a means of precessing the gyro about the horizontal trunnion.

If the gyro axis becomes tilted out of the horizontal plane by rotation about the trun' nion 4, theimage of the target is raised, let us say, on the cross wires. The superposition of the image again on' the cross wires can be vbrought about "by al corresponding lowering of the objective or a raising'ofthe eyepiece or a combination of both. This lcombination is brought aboutby turnin the -plate 21 on the pin 22. The stra ing o the gyro must not affect 'the time o closing of the gyro-switch, hence' the compensating ro tation of the switch plate 21 about the pin 22, must also tilt the switch about the trimnion axis4 through an angle equal tothe angle of tilt of the gyro whichhas to be compensated. Toc rry this intoeil'ect the gyro Aswitch lever 1 6 instead of being pivoted on the casing is pivoted on a frame 2 3 (Figs. 3, 4, and 5) which is' mounted pivotally on the trunnion-axis 4, the switchi p 2O being also carried by the frame This Vframe 23 is turned about the axis 4 by the projecting arm 24 and the connecting rod 25 which connects it with the'pin 26 which pro- 'ects from .the plate 21 throu h a slotted llole in the casing 5. The lengt of the arm 24 and eccentricity of the pin 26 are so chosen that the tilting of the switch about the trunnion 4 is equal to the tilting of the gyrolabout the same axis when lthe optical compensation is complete.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative method of ates 19 and mounting the mirrors on the ,gimbali-ring .instead of on the gyro case, `the mirr rs B and 10 being attached to the gimbal ring 3 y by the two arms 27. Instead of being fixed to the imbal rin they might equally well lbe carried on the orizontal trunnion 4, the ?objective and eyepiece being suitably arranged to correspond.

`An objectional feature 'of the constructions hereinbefore described is that the observer has his back 'towards Vthe target. lFigs. .7, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate respectively a side elevation, a back elevation with the gyro removed, Va sectional plan and front elevation of an arrangement of parts which overnion axis 4, at one end on the case and at noculars.

the other end onV the U-shaped bracket 30.. The outer case 5 is rigidly attached to' the. bracket of the elevating telescope of the director sight, by a' suitable fixing which is not shown. The objective 11 and eyepiece 12 of the telescope are rigidly attached to the cylindrical sleeve 31 which can turn on the cylindrical projection 32 ofthe casing 5, suitable apertures being cut in the cylinden1 32 tof clear the beam of the telescope. The optical centre of the objective and the focal plane are equidistant from the centre of the f cylinder but on opposite sidesof the centre.

The telescope is of the ordinary type con-` taining four reflectors as in prismatic bi- All four reflectors maybe attached to the trunnion axis 4 butin the ar' `rangement illustrated only two 33 and 34 tion of the two planes of reflection being perpendicular to `the trunnion axis. The other two reflectors 35and 36 (Figs. 9 and l0) are carried by the cranked arm 38 which is pivotally attached to the casing 5 by the pin 39.r The line of intersection of tthe planes of relection of35 and 36-is normally coaxial with the trunnion 4. The motion of the cranked arm 38 about the pin 39 is controlled by a pin .p40 attached to the arm engaging in a slot inthe L shaped lever 41 which turns on a boss 42 on lthe casing 5 con` centric with the'trunnion 4. The vertical arm of the L shaped lever is actuated by the screw 43 working in the nut 43, which is attached to the casing 5, pressing against the pin 44 lwhich projects from the L shaped lever through a slotted hole in the casing -5'. Byv turning the screw 43 the cranked arm 38v can be raised or lowered about the pin 39 andthe two reflectors 35 and 36' are thus raised 'or lowered. d 'l l The L shaped lever 41 carries the 'switch 'which is shown in Fig. S. The switch lever/ 16, which bears onlthe ,two switch contacts 19 and 2O mounted on a member 41 attached4 to the vertical arm of the L shaped leyer 41, is pivotally mounted on the pin 45 carried by the member 41a and ris connected by the link 46 withr the escapement lever47 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 48 carried l by the vertical 'arm of the'L shaped lever and is actuated by the-trigger 45'* which 's attached to the gimbal ring 3`by the'pr'ojecting arm 49. vBy virtue of this arrangement a displacement of the switch lever-from one depressed in the field o view by turning the screw 43. The image remains stationary on the cross wires so long as-the gyro does not recess -about the horizontal trunnion' 4. hen theV ship rolls so much that the beam from thekk target after assing through the objective'misses the re ectorsaltogether so that the field of view is dark, the image of the target can easily be brought into the eld again 'by turning the cylindrical sleeve 31 carrying the objective and eyepiece on the cylindrical projection 32 of the casing 5, in opposite phase to the roll so as to keep A'ns the line joining the objective and eyepiece roughly horizontal. A quick motion once during` each roll is equally effective. The ratio of thedistance of the pin 40 from the trunnion axisv 4 and from the pin 39 is so arranged that when optical compensation is applied by the screw 43 to compensate for any precession; of the ro about the trunnion axis 4, the L sha e lever 41 carrying the switch, isaturne round the trunnion axis 4 through an angle equal to the angle through which'the gyro has precessed.

In the foregoing the gyro has been ldescribed with its rotor axis horizontal but it can equally\. well be employed .with its rotorA axis vert1cal, in which case the. trunnion axis 2 becomes horizontal and the trunnion axis 4 remains/horizontal as illustrated. The other parts remain as illustrated except the trigger 45 which would be attached to thel side of the gimbal ringJ in a convenient position to maintain the position relatively instance I may stabilize all-.four vreflectorscontact to lthe other occurs whenever the by attaching them to the trunnion axis 4 and ship passes through a predetermined firing 4position during itsangular'movement. Aty all other timesl the switch lever will be locked against movement toward the contact which it must engage to close the firing circuit, by the engagement of one or the other of the pallets of the escapement with they compensate by moving-'a deflecting prism. along the line of collimation of the telescope, or by tilting a thick piece of glass interposed in the beam or by movingthe objecllO tiveA relatively1 to the eyepiece round the trunnion 4 or by any other suitable o tical device. VIn each case the. linkage wit the switch must be such that the motion re quired to com ensate moves `the switch round the trunmon 4 through an angle equal be applied to the yaw or motion in azimuth.

The optical system illustrated in Figs. 2, 6, and 9 are not the only ones I may use.

-In general, I may use any telescope system which gives an upright image, the inverting l portion of the system being stabilized by the surfaces.

switch-plate bya4 suitable linkage, for c xgyra and the various dimensionsl of the system beuig chosen s0 that the imageremams stationary on the cross-Wires. For example,

I may employ a system' like that illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13. The objective 50 and the eyepiece lenses 51 and '52 are attached to the telescope ring as in Fi 9. lThe prism 53, a side elevation of Whlch is illustrated in Fig. 13, is stabilized by the gyro. The travellng 'achromatic prism 54 serves t-okeep the object on the cross-Wires when the gyroaxis t1lts,.the translation of the prism 54 parallel to the axis of the vtelescope being linked up to the switch-plate by suitable -mechanical linkage. 1 i

"Figs 14 and 15'sho`w two elevations of another .arrangement I may employ. The ob-v jective 55, the eyepiece 56-57' and the right-angled rism 58-59 move with the ship,` while tie right-angled prism 60 is` stabilized by the gyro. --In order to compensate for the tilting of the gyro-aXis I may translate the risms 58 and 59 and link this translation wlth the angular motion of the switch-plate b suitable linkage similar to thatillstrat'e in Fig. v9.

Fig. 16 shows an arrangement I may employ which contains no prisms or refiecting The objective 61 and the eyepiece 6 2-62 move with the ship. The focal plane of 61 is at 63 and the inverting lens or s stem of lenses 64, Which is stabilized by t e yro forms an upright image in the second. ocal plane 65. In order to compen- 4 saterfor the-tilting of the gyro-axis I may translate the inverting lens system 64 up and down by the same mechanism which moves the switch-plate. the lens 64 to a crank 66 which normally turns about` a crank-pin 67 coaxial with the gyro trunnion.` This crank is stabilized by the gyro` by means of a pin 68 carried by the gyro-trunnionenga ingin a slot 69 in. the crank'66, The cran pin 67 `is linked to the ample, the'pin 67 might be attached .tothe lever 38 in Fig. 9, and the ratios of the links 'are adjusted so that when the lens 64 is moved 'so -as to'keep the image onthe cross- WiresthesWitChI-plate is turned throu h the same.. angle as-the gyrohas tilted. T is arrangement leversmight'be applied to the For example, I may attach' ing.

the motion of the shipl. If

prism 53 in Fig. 12 to move it up and dovvn and thus to obviate the n'sm may'take form of a brush attached to.

the gimba'l ring bearing on a vContact attached to the outer casin I prefer, however, to mount both mem ers ofthe switch onfthe outer casing and actuate' it by a cam or trigger gearattached to the gimbal ring. The velocity ratio of the cam or trigger gear is arranged so that it has-its maximum value a't the instant when contact ismade.

In order to keep the contact in a constant position relatively to the horizontal plane, I arrange a telescope or parts of'a telescope on the rotor casing of the gyroscope andI keep the telescope sighted on the horizon at some point near the target to be fired at, the horif `zorital Wire of the telescope being kept in by aPplyins ,coincidence with the horizon space, he could not fail to apply forces to the eyepiece and thereby 'the' telescope. l I overcom'e this diiculty in one or other of alter the setting of two ways. I may leave all parts of the telel00' scope connected to the rotor-casin except the eyepiece, which .I attach to `t e outer casing and I. arrange the( parts so that the centre of the focal plane 'ot the telescope is virtuallyvthe intersection of the gimbal axes. The observer is then lookin through an eyepiece which moves vvith tie ship at an image of the horizon which .appearsstationary in the field of view.

An alternative method which I may adopt is 'to fix Jboththe o `'ective and the eyepiece of the telescope tot e outer casing and x only the mirrors of the telescope tothe rotor casing. For example, I ma fik the objective and the eyepiecel side by side on the outer casing so that the observer stands with his back to the target, and I x to the rotor casing twomirrors say "at 90 degrees toeach.

other, and making normally 45 degrees with f thel line of"collimation, the line o intersec` tion of the two m'irrors coinciding Withthe verticalgimbal axis. The eyepiece maybe placed at any suitable an 1e,o'1` position byl further reliectors, attache to the outer 'cas- The observer on4 looking through the telescope, sees the horizon 'stationaryon the cross-wires irrespective ofy the amplitude of he; shi is `si multaneously pitching and rolling w en the telescope -is trained on the bam, the horizon of pitching, but .as this tilting takes place about Ivthe axis of collimation, it does net mislead the observer if liewatches the of intersection of the horizon with the orizontal wire and keeps it in thc centre of the v field.

In order to produce the required precession-of the gyroscope about the gimbal axis, I arrange two little cranks or handles on the outer casing, the turning of which turn two light flails of spring steel, .Which being caught by stops -in their 'revolution 4are later released and impart standard impacts tothe rotor casing. Or, I may employ the mutual attraction or repulsion between two coils or between coils and magnets, one coil of each pair being fixed to the gimbal rin and the other'to the rotor casing, the coi s being energized by currents controlled by switches outside the outercasing. Or,

I may employ simple bellcrank mechanisms 'actuating flexible levers inside the outer casing which are brought'to bear on the rotor casing or on the gimbal ring. I

preferably arrange the handle of the bell-- crank mechanism so that the precession takes place in the direction of the motion of the handle. y n

' In order to deal with the yawing motion of the ship I may fit another switch to the same gyroscope, between the rotor casin and the gimbal ring so as to be operate by the motion of the gyroscope about the vertical gimbal axis.l But I preferably employ two gyroscopic 'sighting telescopes and Y tFwo observers, one of whom has to keep his 'I switch which contro s the yawin horizontal cross wire on the horizon near the target ship and the other has to keep his vertica cross wire on the tar et ship.- The whole apparatus may simply e duplicated,

the horizontal trunnion axis in the one 1nstrument being turned into, rection in the other.

I arran eA the an le of Contact in the to be greater than that in the switch whlch controls therolling motion, and. by means of arelay I may arrange s o -that the gun will notire unless the yawing contact is already made when the rolling contactjs iirstmade. I may interconnect the two relays so that should the rolling contact be made before the yawing contact relay becomes locked and cannotbe closed.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature ofmy said invention and in what/manner the same is to be performed, I declare that-wh t I claim is zthe vertical di- 1.' In A{ire-control apparatusfor a gun mountedhfon an'angularly moving platform,

i the combination of a gyroscope,- a switch adapted l'to becontr'olled thereby, and means oint yfor movin the effect of straying of the gyroscope thereom 2./In lire-control apparatus for a gun mounted on an angularly moving platform, the combination of a gyroscope, a switch adapted to be controlled thereby, optical s'pect to the gyroscope and carrying the -fixed,

contact, and means for moving the member to change the relation between the movable contact and the fixed contact in accordance with deviations of the gyroscope.

4. In fire-control aplparatus for a gun mounted on an ano'ular y the combination o? a gyroscope, an optical sighting system having some of its elements mounted on the gyroscope, means whereby the other elements may be moved to compensate for movement ofthe iii-st named elements caused by deviation of the gyroscope, afiring switch adapted to fbe controlled by the gyroscope and means operatively connected to the first namedmeans tion upon the time of firing of the gun.

5. In fire-control aplparatus for a gun mounted on an an lar the combination o a gyroscope, 'an` optical sighting system having some of its elements mounted \onv the gyroscope, means whereby the otherelements may be moved to compensate for movement of the first named elements caused by deviation of the ro- 'scope, a. switch for controlling the ring circuit and having a contact operatively connectedJ to the yroscope,` a member movroscope abl mounted wit respect to the an carrying a switch contact a apted to cooperate with the movable coftact, and means connecting the membe-r to the means the elements vof the optical sys,- tem, where y the relation between the conmoving platform,-

y moving platform, i

- for correcting for the e'ect of such deviatacts may be changedto compensate forthe effect of deviation of the gyroscope upon the ti e of firing of the gun.

6. In fire-control apparatus yfor a gun mounted on an angularly moving platform,A

the combinationl of a gyrosco an outer casing therefor, an optical sig ting system l12o I having some of itselements mounted on the` i I gyroscope, a'member movably mounted on' a switch for vcontrolling the ring clrcuit comprising a contact adapted to be moved by relative movement between the gyroscope and the casingfa member movably mounted .125 `the casing and carrying-other optical parts,`

with respect to the gyroscope, a switch contact carried on the member and cooperating.

sighting system associated with the gyroscope, and meansoperatively related tothe switch andthe sighting system for compensating for the effect of deviations of the gyroscope on the same.

8. In fire-control apparatus for a gun mounted on an angularly moving platform, the combination of a gyroscope, an outer casing therefor, a switch for controlling the firing circuit including a contact adapted to be moved by relative movement between the gyroscopeand thecasing, a frame movably mounted withvrespect to the gyroscope, a switch contact carried on-the Aframe and cooperating with the first 4named contact, and means for moving the frame` to compensate for the effect of straying of the gyroscope upon the relationbetween the contacts of the switch. Y f v 9. In fire-control apparatus for a gun mounted on an angularly moving platform,

the combinationv of a gyroscope, an outer ,casing therefor, a switch for controlling the firing circuitfincliiding a contact adapted to be moved by relative movementbe "tween the gyroscope and the casing, a frame pivotallymounted upon one of the supporting axes of the gyroscope, a switchcontact carried'on the frame, and means for swinging the frame in accordance with straying of the gyroscope to compensate for the ef-v. fect of such strayingupon the contacts of the switch. A

10. Ina director firing system for a gun mounted on `an angularly moving platform, they combination of a switch forvcontrolling the firing circuit, g'yroscopic'j means -for stabilizing the action ofthe switch, and means for adjusting the switch to compensate for straying of the tgyroscopic means.

11. In a directorfiring'system for aggun mounted on` an angularly moving platform,

the combination ofa switch forcontrolling the `firing lcircuit,"optical sighting means, gyroscopic means for stabilizing the action of the switch .and the sighting means, and

means for adjusting the switch and the sighting means, to compensate for straying of the gyroscpe means.

12.- In fire-control apparatus for use 'on an angularly moving body controlling' mechanism comprising relatively fixed and e simultaneously moved to movable elements, a stabilizing device free from forced oscillations vin phase with the disturbing forces introduced by oscillations of the body and actuating means brou ht into action by the relative movement etween the device and the body' when the .latter passes through a predetermined position during its angular movement for causing 'relative movement between the elements, said means being locked against movement at all other times.

13. In fire-control apparatus for use on an angularly moving body, controlling mechanism comprising relatively movable elements, a stabilizing device free.A from forced oscillations in phase with the disturbing forces introduced by oscillations of vthe body and means brought into action by the relative movement between the device and the body for causing a momentary relative movement between th elements at an increased speed as compared with that betweemthe device/and the body.

14. In fire-control apparatus for use on an angularly moving body, controlling mechanism comprising relatively movable elements, a. stabilizing device free 'from forced oscillations in phase with the disturbing forces introduced b oscillations of the body and means brough into action by the lrelative movement between the device and the body when the latter passes through a l* predetermined position during 'its angular movement for causing relative movement betweenthe elements at increased speedas 10U forced oscillations in phase with the disturbi ing forcesintroduced by oscillations of the '.body, means for normally preventing such movement and adapted to action by the relative movement tween the device and the body when the latter passes through a predetermined position during its angular movement for releasing said 4preventing means and causing relative 115 vmovement between the elements and means 'whereby said mechanism may be ad]usted in accordance with the position of the body at which it is'desired that actution'of the 1 elements shall occur.

16. In .fire-control apparatus for use on an angularly moving Nbody,A controlling mechanism comprising relatively 'fixed and movable elements, a, gyroseope and actuating means brought intoxaction bythe relative movement between the gyrosope ,and

mechanism comprising relatively' movable N105 elements, a stabilizing device free from ,be brou ht into the fbody when the latter passes through a I predetermined`position during its angular movement for actuating said movable ele- -ments, said means containing means for preventing such movement in any 'other position.

17. In lire-control Vapparatus for useon an angularly moving body,l controlling mechanism comprising relatively movable elements, a gyroscope and escapement means brought into action by the relative movement between the gyroscope and the body for causing relative movement between the elementsv at an increased speed.' 18. In fire-control apparatus for use' o an' angularly `moving body, controlling mechanism comprising normally locked relatively movable elements, a gyroscope and means brou ht lin to action by therelative movement between. the gyroscope and the body when the latter passes through predetermined position during its angular movement for causing relat1ve movement between the elements at an increased speed.

19. In fire-control apparatus for use on an angularly, moving body, controlling mechanism comprising normally locked relatively movable elements, a gyroscope', means brought into action by the relative movement between the gyroscope fand the body when the latter passes through a predetermined position' during 1tsangular movement for causing relative movement between 'the elepments and means whereby Asaid mechanism may be adjusted in accordance with the 'nositi'on of the body at which it is desired that actuation of the elements shall occur. A

20. In fire-control apparatus for use on an angularly moving body, controlling mechanism comprising relatively movable `yelements, a stabilizingrv device free from .forced oscillations in phase with the disturb.` mg forces introducedby oscillations of the body and an escapement mechanism ha-ving a part associated with the device and a part associated with one of the ,elements for causing relative movement between the elements when the body passes through a pref determined position during its angular movement. 21. Circuit controlling mechanism for use on an angularly moving body comprising relatively movable switch' elements, a stabilizing device free from forced oscillations in phase with the disturbing forces introduced by the oscillations of the body and means brought into action only by the rela tivemovement between the device and the body when the latter passes through a predetermined position during its angular movement for causing relative movement between the elements which are locked together at all other times. i .Y

Circuit controlling mechanism for use on' an angularly moving body vcomprising relatively movable switch elements, a sta-v 23. Circuit controllingmechanism for use' on an angularl moving body comprising relatively mova le switch elements, a stabilizing. device free from vforced oscillations in phase with the d-isturbing forces intro'- duceld bythe oscillations of the\ body and actuating means brought into action by-the relative movement, `between the device and the body -only when the latter passes through a predetermined position during its angular movement for causing relative movement between the elements at' an' increased speed, saidelements being locked together during all other positions of the body.

211. In tire-control apparatus for use on Aan angularly moving body, controlling mechanism comprising relatively movable elements, a stabilizing device free from forced oscillations vin phase with the disturbing forces introduced .by oscillations of the I body, means brought into action by the relative'movement between the device and the body when the latter passes through 'apredetermined position during its angular movement for causing relative movement. between the elements and imeans lncluding .mechanismf having relatively movable elements, an optical instrument having an element adapted tro partake of the angular movement of the body and a second element 4mounted to move relatively to the first element, astabilizing device free from forced oscillations in phase Vwith the disturbingY forces introduced by the oscillations of the body, connections between the device and the second optical element for moving it relatively to the body to compensate for the V,eiect of the angular' movement ofthe body `on the image of a distant object in the field of view of the instrument and means` brought into action by the vrelative movement between the, device and the body when the latter passes through a predetermined f position during its angular movement for causing relative movement between the elements of the controlling mechanism.

an angularly moving body, firing mechanism and a`n`optical instrument each having an element adaptedto partake of the angular movement of the body, a second element of the mechanism mounted to move rela- 26. In fire-control apparatus. for use on'125 15 mechanism.

tively to the first element thereof, a second optical element mounted to move relatively to the body, a gyroscope,` connections between the gyroscopeand the second optical I5 element for moving it relatively to the body to compensate for the effect of the angular movement of the body on the image of a distant object in the field of lview olthe instrument and means brought into action 10 by the relative movement between the gyroscope and the body when the latter ,passes through a predetermined-position during its angular movement for causing relative movement between the elements of the iiring 27. In fire-control apparatus for use on yanA angularly moving body, an optical instrument for viewing-,distant objects. means for ellmmating relative movement between 20 the image of a distant object and a 'refer ence mark in the field of view of the instrument, controlling mechanism comprising relatively movable elements and means under the control of the eliminating means for determining the point of actuationof the elements of the mechanism.

28.*In 'fire-control apparatus for use o an angularly moving body, an optical instrument for viewing distant object-s, means including a gyroscopically controlled ele ment for eliminating relative'movementbetween the image of a distant object and a reference mark in the field of view ofthe instrument, controlling mechanism compris ing relatively movable elements and means under the control of the. eliminating means for determining the point of actuation of the elements of the mechanism.'

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.` y

JAMES BLACKLOCK HENDERSON; 

